My Mitsukai
by kira-chan's imagination
Summary: Konan is pregnant after she promised herself she couldn’t be. How will Pein take the news? Does this baby even have a chance to see the world around it? PeinxKonan Rated M for certain reasons. Lemon.
1. Realization

My Mitsukai

**Summary: Konan is pregnant after she promised she couldn't be. How will Pein take the news? Does this baby even have a chance to see the world around it? PeinxKonan Rated M for certain reasons: Flashback of 'The night', thoughts of possible abortion, violence, and possible gore, maybe lemon. Subject to change. POV switches.**

**AN: Mitsukai is Japanese for angel. Sorry for any OOC! I'm not even to the shippuden yet!! Please review with any corrections, or comments. But please be nice!**

**Btw, for all of my stories: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO or sadly any of it's characters. Do I look like Kishimoto-san to you?! Eek! I hope not...**

Konan sat on the edge of the bed in shock. She just stared at the floor in denial. _'Not possible. This isn't happening. I'm not. I can't be.'_ These words ran through her mind over and over. Maybe her body just refused to bleed. _'That's it.'_ She thought. _'I'm just missing another month. It's possible. I may have never missed one before this… but other people have. It's normal.'_ The false sense of security gave her enough sanity to look up at her lover when he walked in.

"Konan." Their eyes met.

"Yes?" She replied.

He just stared at her for a while longer. Those eyes; the eyes that she had stared into that night. Those eyes that held her every time she wished to look away. Those eyes that promised her everything would turn out right. Those eyes that she believed loved her.

"Lets go." He said simply- a new mission.

'_Where to, this time? Can I go in this condition?'_ These questions clouded her mind as Pein spoke.

"Rain shinobi have overtaken the border into Grass. We have sighting of the jinchuuriki we're after. It's beginning, Konan; the time is now." She was the only one who would ever be able to detect the hint of excitement in his monotonous voice he used with mostly everyone. He had a special tone he used when with her. When they were…

Flashbacks flooded her mind to all of the sweet nothings he had said to her. Every time she made love with him, they were something different. Yet, every single one of them meant mostly the same thing. _'You're my angel, my everything. I love you.'_

She nodded. This was their mission. They left in silence and began the journey to Grass country. Pein had a small bag slung over his shoulders containing all they would need for the rest of the week. As they jumped through the trees, Konan enjoyed the rush of the wind through her hair. She zoned out everything around her for the rest of the day's travel. If Pein has said something to her, she didn't know it. She saw him drop through the trees to a heavily wooded forest exactly as the sun hit the horizon line. This was where they would stop for the night.

"Where is everyone else?" She questioned, absentmindedly taking a seat on a fallen tree trunk.

"Itachi and Kisame are after some information in konohagakure. Hidan and Kakazu are on a bounty mission. Zetsu is out training Tobi for the next three days. Deidara and Sasori just arrived back from a mission an hour ago." Pein explained as he set up barriers with numerous jutsu he always used when they were out on a rare mission.

He seemed buried in his own thoughts, more than usual. _'Does he know? How could he possibly have found out? What is he going to do? Does he hate me?'_

"Konan."

Startled, she locked her gaze with his. She tried to hide a worried expression, but fail miserably. As he stared at her, his face started to take on the same expression.

"What is it?" He asked her as he finished the last barrier jutsu. She faked a confused look.

"Nothing, I'm fine." A small smile graced her face.

"I thought you knew better than to lie to me." He corrected as he walked over to her. _Ouch_. Should she tell him yet? She wasn't positive she was with child anyway. Then again, who stopped bleeding for two months without there being a problem? _'With child.'_ Kami, that sounded so out of place even in her mind. What would it sound like when she said it?_ 'Probably worse.'_ She presumed. Tears came to her eyes as she told herself she was indeed pregnant with Pein's child. **No. **She _never _cried.

Quickly looking away, she mumbled, "Be back in an hour." With that, she walked off into the forest. For once, he didn't follow.

**Pein's POV**

Recalling all of the walks through the forest they had taken together, he realized this was the first one since the beginning of their life together that Konan chose to take alone. Something was up. He sat down where Konan had left from and began to think. What was different? Had he done something? What changed? When was their last anniversary? Had he forgotten? _'No. That's ridiculous.' _He mentally shook the thought from his mind. Konan never cared about such trivial things, but what was it? Pein knew he wouldn't sleep tonight knowing there was something bothering an angel, _his _angel.

**Konan's POV**

Her legs burned as she leapt through the trees at a break-neck speed. She had to get away from where they had stopped, where her lover was; she got about 10 kilometers away without a tear falling down her cheek. Finally, the dam broke and her face was quickly soaked with salty sadness. _'This isn't fucking normal! I'm pregnant!'_ She yelled at herself in her head as angry hot tears streamed down her porcelain cheeks. She sat in her tree alone for about 20 minutes, tightly hugging her knees to her chest as if maybe that would crush the baby.

**Pein's POV**

Half-heartedly, he laid out the beds while Konan was gone. As she said, her return was an hour later. Tears stained her face, but there were no other signs she had been crying. _'Gods, she looks beautiful- even in sadness.'_ He thought to himself. He walked over to meet her, as she was about to take a seat on her tree-trunk.

"Konan-chan?" He added the ending as comfort. Her eyes couldn't seem to meet his. She stared at his shoulder.

"Yes, Pein-sama?" She said, her voice a bit scratchy from weeping. _Ouch._ That title was back; something was definitely wrong. Usually, it was 'Pein-kun' or simply 'Pein'.

"Please, mitsukai. What is it? You can tell me." Pein said as he attempted to wrap his hands around her waist. She gently pushed him away, still not able to make eye contact. This made a small spark of anger strike in Pein. He couldn't even touch her? What the hell had he done?!

**AN: What do you guys think? I'll continue if I get reviews! So... Review!!**


	2. My Secret Shared

My Mitsukai

**Konan's POV**

'_He called me his angel… I love it when he does that… No! Don't let him wrap his arms around me! He'll feel the baby!'_ she thought in her panic. The akatsuki cloak was loose enough to hide the bump, but she could be sure he would notice the difference in her size if he put his arms around her; she never gained weight. Trying her best to remain calm, she pushed his extending arms back down to his sides.

"Gomen nasai." She said quietly as she felt a single tear defiantly fall from her eyes. _'I can't do this.' _She thought, but she knew had to.

Slowly, she took Pein's hand and met her gaze with his as it softly made contact with her abdomen; this is when he first realized it was slightly enlarged. She watched carefully as she saw so many emotions pass through his eyes. First, confusion. Then, realization. Surprise. Shock. Anger. Finally, the comfort appeared.

**Pein's POV**

"Seriously?" He had to ask, realizing he sounded like a totally deranged idiot as he said it. Her guilty answer was shown clearly from the expression on her face.

"Oh, Konan…" He said lovingly as he pulled her into a comforting hug. She broke into attemptingly repressed sobs. Thoughts swirled through his mind like a hurricane. It seemed like he had four million personas- each one with its own category and set of questions.

_'How?' 'Why didn't I notice?' 'When?' 'Wonder what position were we in?' 'How long has she known?' 'Boy or girl?' 'Does that mean no more sex for nine whole months?' 'Are we going to keep it?'_

Pein held her close, trying to be supportive. He sat them down on the fallen log, as she cried in his lap. He stroked her hair soothingly until, finally, her sobs died down to shudders.

"Pein…" She whispered. "I c-can't do this…" She said.

Was she actually considering killing it? Pein almost couldn't believe that; she had always seemed like the motherly type in his eyes.

"Konan-chan, for as long as I've known you, I've know you would be a wonderful mother."

This obviously upset her greatly, seeing as she pulled away from him with a murderous look.

"Did you ever consider that maybe I don't want to be a mother?" She inquired, insolence dripping off her every word.

"You don't want to have children?" Pein looked almost hurt, but now anger covered up his pain. "You've _never_ wanted a family of our own?"

"Guess it never crossed my mind." Konan said sarcastically with a sneering glare. Pein looked like he could have hit her; it took almost all of his self control not to.

"So what are we doing? Why the hell are we even together? We've been together for almost our whole lives, yet all we've been doing is fucking around!?" Konan felt a pang in her heart at the term he used for the physical side of their love.

"Well if that's what you believe to be true, Pein-sama, then so be it. I don't want this baby. You could probably care less about having a child with me. So fine." With that, she disappeared into small pieces of paper, floating away in the breeze.

'_Damnit!'_ Pein thought, running after the windswept angel. She was faster though; the wind was strong today. Losing sight of her momentarily, Pein stopped on a tree. Where was she going? He looked around in silence, listening for any sound to hint on her whereabouts.

**Konan's POV**

'_I made up my mind. I know I can't do this. He doesn't want it; I don't want it.'_ She stopped at the small spring, finding a rock to lean her back against. This was what she must do. She tried to strangle her initial strangled yelp, but not very well; it hurt too much to contain herself. She slowly began to see clear mix with red.

**Pein's POV**

He faintly heard water running due east, leaves rustling all around. Suddenly, he thought he heard a strangled cry of pain near the running water.

'_Konan?!' _He leapt through the trees toward the sound of rushing water where he heard the noise.

'_Please, let her have better judgment than that! Don't let her have done what I think she did!'_ Pein was drowning in what seemed like an endless sea of panic and worry.

This is when he saw it. The sight that he believed would haunt his dreams for the rest of his life. Konan, his mitsukai, was barely standing; her back leaned up against a rock- wading waist deep in the water. Starting from where she was leaning on the rock, there was a thick line of red descending downstream. Her eyes were shut, brow scrunched in both concentration and pain. Tears stained her face and a small trail of blood trickled from her lip that she had bitten to cease her pained yelp. Her hands were shakily grasping the kunai that she had shoved up to the hilt into her middle.

**"Konaaaaan!!"** He yelled, as he ran towards her weakening stance against the rock.


	3. Life of two loves

My Mitsukai

**AN: Okay guys, bear with me here. I warn you; slight OOC, and I know almost NOTHING about stab wounds. Btw, slight KakazuxHidan in this chapter.**

**Konan's POV**

'_Oh gods, it hurts so much… I think I'm dying…'_ She thought to herself. The pain was so overwhelming; she couldn't even look up when her lover yelled her name.

"Konan… No, Mitsukai…please! Why? Why, mitsukai, why?" She heard Pein as if he was across the room when really he was right in front of her, gathering her falling form into his arms and cradling her head carefully.

'_Was he… crying?' _She realized he was as the wet drops of his pain collided with her cheek.

"Pein…" she said as best as she could, but it came out as a broken whisper.

"Yes… Konan, what? Please talk to me… What is it?" Pein pleaded to his lover who was slipping into unconsciousness.

"The…kunai…" She struggled to remind him. The kunai was still in her belly, not yet removed as Pein tried to pull her away from the rock and was being moved around a bit.

"Oh gods, I'm sorry!" Pein had totally forgotten in the current situation.

"I'm sorry… too…" Konan whispered as her world faded to black. Pein pulled the kunai out smoothly, as a whole new, larger amount of blood started to pool around them.

'_Damnit. I can't heal this…'_ Pein thought in a state of panic. She was losing a lot of blood and would die soon if she didn't get help. His mitsukai was dying…

"Kakuzu!" Pein thought out loud with a burst of realization. He and Hidan were arriving back tonight. _'Actually, they should already be back._ _We have to go back there.'_ He knew they had to return to the hideout._ 'But the jinchuuriki…' _He reminded himself._ 'No! Konan would die.' _His only love would be gone forever. It was totally out of the question to keep going and let her die; she was the only one he would do this for.

Gathering her into his arms, he teleported back to the akatsuki lair. Walking down the long hallway to Kakazu and Hidan's shared bedroom, he called out to them. "Kakuzu. Hidan! Get out here! Now! Hurry!" Blood was still flowing from Konan's belly, and dripping little red tears onto the floor from Pein's cloak as he quickly made his way down the endless corridor.

**In The Bedroom POV**

Hidan was lying on the bed with only his boxers on looking up at Kakuzu who was hovering over him, a hand on either side of Hidan's head to put his weight on, and clothed in the same attire. Kakuzu leaned down and captured the Jashinist in a bruising kiss as Hidan wove his fingers through Kakuzu's thick black hair, pulling not so gently, to put more of his lover's weight onto him.

"I want you. Now." Kakuzu said after breaking the kiss while pulling Hidan's boxers off his hips. Hidan breathed heavily with a lustful look in his eye, lifting up a bit to assist in taking off the last thing on him that was keeping him from his lover.

"Kuzu…You have me. Now take m-" Hidan started, but was interrupted by Leader-sama's frantic yelling at the beginning of their 300 meter long hallway leading to their dungeon-like room.

._ "Kakuzu. Hidan! Get out here! Now! Hurry!" _They heard the Leader yell. Quickly, they threw on their cloaks and pants, giving each other confused looks._ 'What could Leader-sama possibly want?' _They had just returned from the mission and were going to report to him tomorrow.

Now fully dressed, they opened the door to be met with a terrified looking Pein holding what seemed to be only a half-alive body in his arms. Then Hidan saw the blue hair.

"Konan!" he exclaimed.

"What happened?!" Kakuzu demanded to know how Konan, of all S-rank criminals, could possibly be hit in such a vital place, while he shoved everything off of his desk. Gathering her in his arms, Kakuzu laid her on the mahogany desk and quickly unbuttoned her cloak. Pulling up her fishnet shirt under the cloak, he could fully see where the kunai had made a clean cut to the left of her navel. He began to sew up the 4 centimeter wide cut in her abdomen after dripping a few drops of an antiseptic healing concoction he always had handy into her wound.

Hidan watched Leader-sama who had a pained expression on his face as Kakuzu sewed up Konan's injury.

"A-are they okay?" He finally said as Kakuzu tied and cut the strands of stitching. "They?" Hidan and Kakuzu both said in unison. The Jashinist was the first to realize what he meant.

"No… Leader-sama… She's pregnant?" Hidan asked with a sly smile and you could almost see the light bulb clicking on in Kakuzu's head. Pein nodded in confirmation as Kakuzu placed his hand back on Konan's stomach, slightly pressing in certain places.

"Yes. They are both going to be fine, Leader-sama. Take Konan to rest for the night. She'll wake by morning." Kakuzu instructed, handing Konan back to Leader-sama.

"Thank you both." Leader-sama said with a slight bow before exiting the room with his beloved kunoichi.

**Pein's POV**

'_My mitsukai and my child are okay.'_ He had to keep telling himself that for the rest of the night after Konan's scare. Of course, he couldn't sleep; all he could do was just watch the gentle rise and fall of his lover's chest to remind him everything was all right.

Pein always loved watching when Konan slept because her expression was so peaceful and her face always looked like a perfect porcelain doll. Perfectly still, eyes at rest. She really was his angel; she always would be.

"I love you, mitsukai." He whispered softly through the darkness to his lover resting beside him. All he could do was just wait until the sun met the horizon.

**Back In The Bedroom POV**

"Well that was an interesting interruption." Hidan remarked, sitting back on the bed.

"Very." Kakuzu said in a concerned voice. Hidan looked up to see Kakuzu's brow furrowed, deep in thought.

"Kuzu?"

"Hm?"

"What is it?" the Jashinist inquired with a concerned look as well.

"…That stab wound was self inflicted." He muttered.

Hidan just stared. Konan would never do such a thing; she was one of the most stable people he knew.

"How can you tell? It might have just been a coincidence." Hidan tried to persuade himself to actually believe what he was saying, even though he truly knew that Kakuzu could always know mostly everything just by seeing the wound.

"No other person could produce that angle and that clean of a slice. It was self-imposed." Kakuzu said with a finalized tone.

Hidan was silent for a while. That didn't seem like Konan in the least. All he could wonder was _'Why?'_.

**AN: So if anyone reading this knows stab wounds and feels I have done a less than adequate job in capturing the most of what I know into this chapter, please review about it and I will edit it appropriately! Thanks!! Or just nice reviews are okay too! So review! You know you want more chapters.**


	4. Waking Up To Reality

My Mitsukai

**AN: So I'm back! And I am SO sorry for not updating this in such a long freaking time!! **

**And also I'm sorry if this seems OOC, but really when someone is pregnant they are totally OOC anyway. I guess the hormones are just influencing the rest of the Akatsuki to behave strangely as well. Gomen to all who are picky!!**

**Konan's POV**

'_Ow.'_

Konan winced, pulling herself into a pathetic excuse for a sitting position. The sun wasn't even touching the horizon yet; a small groan passed her lips. This caused Pein to wake up, gazing over at her.

"Konan…" He said, pulling her into the gentlest hug he could give her.

"Mitsukai, I thought I had lost you two." Pein said with a genuine tone in his voice.

'_Aww, He really does ca- "I thought I had lost you __two__." __**WHAT?!**__'_ This thought ran through her mind. Konan pulled away slightly, and looked at him with a stare, before opening her mouth to speak. Nothing came out. _'You two?? __**Two?!**__'_

Pein looked truly worried and confused. What had he said?

Konan shuffled off the bed, trying not to double over at the pain in her abdomen. Padding over to the mirror, she yanked her top up to her waistline, exposing a pink slash mark, with thick black stitches keeping it together. She definitely still looked 3 ½ months pregnant. Taking a shaky breath in, she felt tears well up in her eyes as she finally realized it.

Glaring at a slightly guilty looking Pein through the reflection of the mirror, Konan asked, just because she had to know for sure.

"I'm still pregnant?" It came out in a tone that seemed to be laced with ice.

Pein was looking at her now with a pained gaze, but was there sadness, guilt, anger, or all three?

"Yes. You're still carrying _**our**_ child." Pein tried to stress the 'our' as a promise; he wouldn't let her do this alone.

"Where is Kakuzu." Konan did not ask this; she demanded it.

"Konan, why-"

"Where. Is. Kakuzu, Pein."

"Um… he's in his chambers."

Without warning, Konan yanked open the door and was gone. Pein jumped out of bed after her, yelling down the hall, "But Konan! You need to rest!!" But it did no good. He doubted if she even heard him.

'_No, no, no, no, no!'_ Konan thought, rushing down the long dreary hallway toward the dungeon Kakuzu shared with his Jashin-worshiping partner.

"**Kakuzu!**" She demanded repeatedly, pounding her fists on the door.

'_By gods, they better be awake.'_ She thought.

The door suddenly swung open to reveal a very sleepy, messy looking, and shirtless Hidan.

"Konan…" Hidan grumbled. "Do you have any ide- _ah!_" Hidan had been pushed out of the way by a very angry, hormonal Konan.

Kakuzu was still asleep on his stomach- a pillow over his head. With both hands, the blue haired kunoichi shoved Kakuzu onto his back, and he awoke with a start- throwing the pillow at the target that had woken him up, thinking it was Hidan. It missed by a mile because of the sleepiness.

"Kakuzu!!" She practically screamed at him. She was beyond angry now.

Kakuzu's face contorted slightly in confusion at being woken so suddenly, and by a very loud, angry woman that had been unconscious, lying on his desk, not even five hours ago.

"What?" he asked back, quickly.

"What did you do to me?! What the hell did Pein order you to do?!" She pointed at her stomach.

"Look, damnit!! **It's** still here! **IT'S****NOT SUPPOSED TO BE HERE!!**" She yelled at the stitched-nin.

Kakuzu rubbed a hand over his eyes, trying to fend away sleep. _'Konan is NOT going to be happy to hear this…'_ He thought to himself.

"You missed."

The silence was like no other. It seemed the bomb had been dropped and everyone was gone.

"Excuse me?" Konan said incredulously, realizing what he had said.

Hidan was just standing in the background, peaking from behind the door and taking in the situation. Konan's wrath was more than he was willing to deal with this early.

Kakuzu sighed, explaining in a bit more detail.

"Your stab wound was two inches too far to the left, Konan… You missed."

Konan stood, mouth open in disbelief. She almost wasn't able to fully process what he had just said.

"I-" Konan began- her eyes welling with tears again, and then threw herself to the ground in hysterics, sobbing. Tears streaked down her pail skin. She clutched her stomach and curled into a ball.

"Noo," She wailed, eyes closed tightly in pain and emotion and leaking tears.

Kakuzu just sat there wide-eyed.

"Uhm…" He gawked. Kakuzu was truly clueless. Hidan was the one that was good with dealing with women- or at least Konan.

Said priest was now kneeling by Konan, cradling her as she cried. As the sobbing died down, she spoke through the curtain of hot tears and blue hair strewn across her face.

"Y-you must h-have done something, K-kuzu. W-what did you do?!" She pleaded. She could still not accept the fact that she stabbed herself, but the baby wasn't even harmed.

"Konan, no. I did nothing but keep you from bleeding to death and, by Pein's request, find the baby's heartbeat."

Konan sniffed, and slowly found her way to stand, then walked over to him. Standing in front of the stitched-nin, a request was voiced.

"Kill it." She muttered. Kakuzu didn't move, just stared up at her. Starting to untie the bottom of her yukata, she exposed her still prominent pregnant stomach. "Please, just get rid of it."

"No." Pein said now present in the doorway. He had heard the request and all eyes turned to him.

Konan's eyes filled up with tears again, but these were full of defeat, shame, and maybe even a small amount of hate as she shakily pulled her yukata back closed. She knew Kakuzu would never go against Pein's word as a friend or a subordinate- especially on something like this.

The blue haired kunoichi then pushed past Pein and exited the room. Pein just covered his eyes with his hands and slid down the wall to sit, with a sigh. _'If all of this would just be okay…' _Resting his elbows on his knees, he just sat in silence for a moment. It seemed as if no one moved. Kakuzu and Hidan were still recovering from being awoken so violently.

Then their orange haired leader just got up and walked away.

:--:

Konan sat on the rock in Zetsu's Zen garden. In a comical moment, she thought about asking said plant-man to eat the baby. Then, she thought about the process and cringed, deciding against it.

'_Why do I not want this baby?'_

'_Pein loves me, right?'_

'_The Akatsuki is no place to raise a child.'_

'_Pein would make it okay. He always does.'_

'_We don't have extra room.'_

'_The old library is empty now.'_

'_Pein's too busy to be a father.'_

'_He would make time for me.'_

'_I don't want to be a mother yet.'_

'_Kunoichi duties can wait.'_

'_No, they can never wait. Pein is about to capture the last jinchuuriki and the war will begin. He needs me.'_

'_He wants this baby.'_

'_Why?! Why me?! Why now?! I could ruin everything. It could somehow get to be a situation like the life of my lover or my child! I don't want to deal with this!'_

'_He's beginning the war of the world! Could my body not wait until the peace is restored to start a family?!'_

These were all questions and answers she was dying to ask Pein right now as she sat, glaring at her slightly swelled stomach. But he was the last person she wanted to see her in this state right now.

'_I need to shower.'_ She thought to herself.

:--:

Walking into the shower room, she shed her clothes and turned on the hot water. Waiting for it to warm up, she peered into the mirror. She grimaced, looking at her profile.

'_This is hideous.'_ She thought, thinking of her now slightly enlarged stomach.

Konan had always held pride in her feminine and near perfectly fit form. Years of work and her beautiful flat stomach were now gone.

'_How can anyone stand to look at me like this?'_ she thought, stepping into the shower, her view avoiding the baby bump as much as possible.

Leaning her head against her arm, which was resting on the cool shower tiles, she failed to hear Pein open the shower room door, shed his clothes, and step in behind her.

"Konan." He said, calmly. He didn't want to startle her.

Konan nearly flinched, hearing his voice say her name so softly, so lovingly… like the times when they- _'Ugh! Stop it. I'm not worthy of those memories anymore. This wasn't supposed to happen… I can't even think about those times now…Pein is too honorable to have to endure seeing me like this… My body is so unsightly right now… He shouldn't see me like this. I don't deserve him right now…'_

"Pein." She said in a small voice, almost as a whimper. She turned her back to him, not wanting him to have a view of her engorged middle and her tears of pity and shame that she could feel welling up into her eyes.

**Pein's POV**

'She turned away from me…' Pein was hurt.

A small sob met Pein's ears.

'_My poor angel…'_

Konan's shoulders were shaking slightly as he came up behind her, wrapping his hands around her: one around her belly and one around her upper waist, right below her breasts.

"Shhh…" Pein comforted, kissing the back of her neck and across her shoulders in comfort. This only made her cry harder.

"Konan, baby, what is it?"

Konan just sobbed out something Pein didn't quite catch.

"Mitsukai?" He said, taking her shoulders and turning her to face him. She couldn't look at him. She looked through her blurry gaze at his shoulder, instead. Her bottom lip trembled slightly as he placed one finger under her chin- forcibly making her eyes meet his.

Pein felt a pang in his heart, seeing his angel in that much pain_. 'She's too pure to be under this stress; she deserves better; she always does.'_

"I love you. Know that." Pein said, and the look in his eyes proved it to Konan.

"I love you too…" She whispered, letting Pein embrace her into a hug.

Orange and blue hair mingled underneath the spray of hot water.

**Konan's POV**

She didn't feel like voicing all of the questions and concerns swimming around her mind. Right now, Konan was drained and was just finding shallow, but comforting peace in the safe feeling of his strong arms currently possessing and still accepting her slightly misshapen frame.

**AN: So yes. Zetsu has a Zen garden! Who'd have guessed? And all of the comments on how a pregnant body is 'misshapen or deformed' is KONAN'S opinion of her own body and is in ****no way, shape, or form**** a reflection of my views about pregnancy. It can be absolutely wonderful and beautiful. It's just that right now, Konan doesn't think so. Of course, I hope you can understand why!**

**Review!! Please please please. It gets you chapters, faster! Believe it or not!**


	5. Acceptance

My Mitsukai

**AN: -slinks into the authoress's chair- Hiiii everyone… I know you're probably pretty mad at me for not updating in well… forever. But I have good reasons! I hope this chapter pleases those who are upset with me.**

**It's probably the longest (and my favorite) chapter in the story yet.**

**WARNING: (Just because I have to) So there is 'pregnant sex' in this chapter. If this really bothers you, or you don't want to read the hott, adorable lemon, then skip it and go down to the bottom and read the Summary and you shouldn't miss much.**

**Enjoy!**

**-Pein's POV-**

It had been a few days since Konan's outburst in Hidan and Kakuzu's room. Konan had mostly spent time by herself either out around the complex or sitting in the bedroom reading, but the thing that bothered Pein the most was that she was alone. Now, Pein was wandering the halls, looking for his beloved mitsukai.

"Konan?" He said loudly down the main hall.

"_Haven't seen her all day!"_ He thought he heard Kisame call from somewhere on the west side of the hideout.

A little part of Pein became worried, but he shoved it away and began looking for his angel once again.

:--:

**-Konan's POV-**

These past few days, Konan had been thinking a lot. Spending time away from everyone, she thought about almost every situation that could happen with having this baby.

'_What if Pein captures the last Jinchuuriki, and wants to start the war? He'll need me.' _Konan was most concerned about this._ 'Then I'll give the baby to a family in the grass country. That's not too far from here, and I know there's got to be at least one family in need of a child. Simple as that.'_

_'What if Pein decides he doesn't want it anymore? … Then if it's not too late, we'll have it terminated. Or I'll just have the baby and then give it to the random Grass country family- again, simple. But I doubt with how much Pein wants a baby right now; he'd just change his mind… He might… but I'll be ready for that. It won't be that big of a deal.'_

Konan went on and on, thinking about relevant situations then came up with an answer to emotionally plan herself with what she would do.

Then a question came that for some reason she couldn't seem to find an answer to.

'_What if… I lose it?' _

This thought stunned her a bit because she then realized that there wasn't a simple answer to that. _How would she react? More importantly, how would Pein react? Would he hate her? Would he …stop loving her?_ Konan couldn't bear to even think about that situation so she put it from her mind and decided that she did want this baby. Not being able to emotionally accept that she might lose the baby was evidence enough.

'_Even though I won't become emotionally attached to this child if we have to give it away, I have to have this baby- for Pein.' _She decided, and already began to feel a sense of calm and easiness come over her. This was when her creativity peaked and tons of ideas started rushing through her mind.

A smile came over her face as she got up from the soft grass she had been sitting on, and made her way back to the hideout.

:--:

**-Pein's POV-**

Making it down to the other side of the hideout, he thought he heard the familiar chime of Konan's old music box. It was the only belonging she had brought with her when they started the organization; it had been her mother's jewelry case. The tune was unmistakable- slow and peaceful. It got louder as he neared the old library.

'_No one's been in here for years…'_ he thought, approaching the entrance.

Sliding the shoji screen open, he came to see Konan sitting there, hand-making hundreds of colorful paper cranes. Every one was adorned a separate color than others as well as being perfectly shaped with crisp symmetrical edges. She also had scissors and a spool of clear wire beside her. Pein added them all up together and understood she was meaning to hang these cranes like a mobile all around the ceiling. The music box stood on the dusty bookshelves- top open, chiming away.

'_This is going to be our child's bedroom?'_ Pein though with a rush of happiness surging through his veins. He reveled in how brilliant and resourceful Konan had always been. To think that she was already making an environment for their child made Pein one of the happiest people in the world. _'Maybe that time alone was a good thing…' _He thought as he walked over to his blue-haired angel and sat down beside her.

This was the first time she noticed someone else was in the room.

"Oh! Pein. I- I didn't notice you had come in…" Konan said, looking around at the room sheepishly.

"Konan, this is amazing." Pein said, smiling and referring to all of the cranes laying in a pile on the floor.

"Oh, it's nothing really. I was just… bored." Konan stated, not meeting eyes with her lover.

"So what gave you the idea this could be an infant's room?" Pein asked, his knowing smile growing bigger as Konan looked up at him with a blush on her cheeks from the mention of their child.

"I-… well… I don't know." Konan stuttered out.

Pein got on his knees and moved over to sit next to her on the side not occupied by a rainbow pile of cranes.

"Does this mean… what I think it means?" He chose his words carefully as though not to upset her. His eyes bore into hers, hoping for a specific affirmative answer.

Konan dropped her gaze after his question to her growing belly with a non-expressive stare. She then placed the periwinkle crane she had been holding on the floor and laid a delicate hand on her middle with a sad, accepting smile.

"I guess so." She said, barely over a whisper.

Pein was so happy he could almost cry. Everything was going to be okay!

"Oh Konan…" Pein said, smiling and embracing her into a giant hug. "I love you!" He whispered.

Konan blushed, closing her eyes and letting a smile come onto her face. "I love you too, Pein." She said, leaning into his embrace.

'_I hope this is going to work out…' _She thought to herself.

:--:

**-Konan's POV-**

Pein took the whole day off, as to help Konan with the baby's room.

After searching for a few minutes, they discovered a ladder in the basement. Pein spent a whole hour climbing up, hanging a crane, climbing back down and moving the ladder once again to nail up every single crane exactly where Konan told him. He didn't care how many times he'd have to re-nail one; this was for his angel and their child.

After hanging all of the cranes, they went looking for the other Akatsuki. There were things they needed to ask of them.

Pein had gone to Sasori, asking if he would assist them in the construction of the crib, while Konan was in the kitchen with Deidara.

"So you wouldn't mind?"

The blonde quickly smiled with a nod and said "As long as I can paint a mural on one of the walls for the baby!"

Konan smiled and giggled in agreement. "Of course, Deidara. I don't think anyone would mind.

"Did you have any specific color in mind? I might have to go into town next time Sasori goes and get some more paint. I only have red, orange, yellow, and I think I may still have some blue left."

"Hm… Hadn't really thought about color. Could you maybe find a pale green?"

"Yeah. That shouldn't be too hard to find. I was expecting you to say some generic color like I dunno, 'butter-cream' or something. You know, every baby room ends up being that boring color." Deidara laughed.

Konan smiled and shook her head. "Green will look nice with the cherry wood floors in the old library. I doubt Kakuzu would want to buy me carpet after the fit I threw in his bedroom a couple of days ago…" Konan said.

Deidara gave her a comical look. "I doubt he'd be willing to buy anyone something, even if they had covered his room with bank notes."

Konan laughed at the blonde's joke then started to stand up.

"Thanks again for agreeing. I can't wait to see how the room will turn out. I have to go finished the small bit of decorating I'm doing today. See you later, Deidara-kun." She said, turning to leave.

"Bye!" Deidara chirped and then walked to his bedroom to check his paint inventory. He was going to need more than just light green for his mural. "Art's a bang!" He whispered, cracking the door open to find Sasori working quietly at his desk.

:--:

**-Pein's POV-**

Konan walked back into the baby's room smiling to herself.

"I'm guessing Deidara-san agreed?" Pein asked.

She nodded, her smile growing a bit.

"What about Sasori-san?" She inquired.

"Of course. He said he'd start working on it immediately." Pein said with a grin. "I'm so happy with how this is going."

Konan looked at him with a loving gaze.

"Me too."

:--:

**-Konan's POV-**

Night had fallen and finally, all of the work they put into the baby room could now be appreciated.

Konan stood with Pein behind her, arms wrapped around her middle and head resting on her shoulder.

"It looks wonderful." He commented.

"Yeah, it's really starting to look better." She agreed.

The cranes dangled from their nearly invisible strings and the double walls of oak shelves sparkled now that they had been dusted for the first time in two years. Pictures had already been placed in frames and set accordingly on the newly polished woodwork with Konan's music box right in the center. They had taken another search through the dimly lit basement and found a massive area rug they hauled up to the room as well as four lamps, a nightstand, two old desks, and a few small corner tables. They left one of the desks behind, but brought the other useful items up and placed them in the room after washing the floor.

Konan let out a sigh and then mention that she needed a shower.

"I probably do to." Pein agreed. "See you in bed?"

"Yep." Konan agreed and they took off to their separate bathrooms. One simple thing Konan had wanted when they began the organization was a bathroom that the other men could stay out of. This was _her_ shower room. There had already been three bathrooms constructed, so Pein had agreed with ease.

:--:

**-Pein's POV-**

Konan had finally gotten off all of the dust and grunge that had collected in a disgusting layer on her skin and felt refreshingly clean. She wrapped a towel around her body and walked the short distance back into the bedroom.

No sooner than she had the time to open her sleep-clothing drawer then Pein walked in as well, a towel slung low around his waist. Konan smiled at him and then returned to finding a nightgown to wear.

Pein saw the opportunity and slowly walked up behind her, placing his hands on her feminine hips.

He dipped his head down to her shoulder. "Dust." –kiss- "Is." –kiss- "Impossible" –kiss- "To." –kiss- "Get." –kiss- "Off." He said, working his way from the spot where her shoulder met her neck up to behind her ear with light kisses.

Konan giggled at the gesture and reached up, running her hand through Pein's damp hair, then agreed. "Yes, I know, but this feels nice..."

Pein contently hummed as a response, returning to kissing her shoulder. He couldn't seem to let her go. One hand traveled up to her waist, then went higher, running over the side of her breast and up to the edge of her towel.

**-Konan's POV-**

Konan had closed her eyes, enjoying the feel of Pein's warm lips and cool piercings washing over her shoulder in gentle kisses.

She fluttered her eyes open as his hand met the edge of her towel- the only thing between his gaze and her slowly growing form- and she had to stop him from looking at her.

"P-Pein…" She voice in a half moan, half warning whisper.

His hand stopped moving and his kisses ceased. A part of Konan pouted at this.

"Yes, mitsukai?" His voice was a laced with desire.

Konan was lost for words. What did she want?

"Um… I… uh- N-no!" She exclaimed as he barely tugged on the towel.

"Konan, why is it you don't want me to see you?" Pein wanted to know why she was so nervous about removing the towel.

"I don't… I don't want you to see how… um… I don't know… You won't like it…"

"It? What? How could I not like you, angel?" Pein was genuinely confused.

Konan closed her eyes in a slight frustration. "I'm…I'm ugly like this." She finally voiced.

Pein realized she was talking about the unborn baby she was carrying. A sense of adorable misunderstanding came over him. "Konan, sweetie… No. Never think that! I think that you look amazing. I always have, and always will- with or without a baby." His other hand moved from her hip to her stomach as reassurance. "Don't ever worry about that; I could never think you were unattractive…"

"O-oh…" Konan breathed out. "Can you kiss me again?" Konan asked with adorable shyness.

A grin surfaced on Pein's lips. "Like this?" Pein said, then connected his lips with the porcelain skin on her shoulder, then giving it a languid lick, moving up to the base of her neck.

Konan tilted her head to the side, giving him more room, and let out a soft breathy moan at his actions. "Y-yes…" She breathed out, running her hand through his hair once more.

He pulled on the towel gently again, and this time Konan let it pool at her feet.

"Pein…" she whispered, her eyes fluttering shut as he trailed slow soft nips over her neck and shoulder.

"Mmm…" Pein added on, running his hands leisurely up her sides and then ran the side of his index fingers lightly back and forth against the sides and bottom of her breasts, knowing this always got to her.

Konan to a small gasping breath in and shakily let it out, loving ever second of Pein's movement.

Her hands shifted from one hanging idly by her and the other that was tangled in Pein's hair to rest gently against Pein's own hands and suggestively move them to cup her porcelain orbs.

She let out a hum of approval as his hands took to this proposition, now deftly moving to their own accord. Kisses were still being rained upon her shoulder as Pein pulled her back against him and moved around to face her. His hands were touching her again within a second and instead of giving her shoulder attention, he now connected their lips instead.

At first, their mouths were both teasing. Small chaste kisses- a few licks but nothing more. Shortly, they had evolved into hot, lustful, open-mouthed kisses, pouring in every ounce of pent up love and lust for the other. Their hands were wandering over each other, re-exploring all of the terrain they had missed out on and Pein's towel had joined Konan's on the floor.

Pein initiated the movement, and they began to walk over to the bed- Pein walking backwards, and easily, Konan following. Their mouths never disconnected.

Pein sat back on the bed and Konan sat on his thighs, his hardened member brushing suggestively between the two.

Pein ended the kiss, and lowered his head to Konan's chest. He ran his tongue around one nipple- the bud hardening and craving more touch. Enveloping one into his mouth, he massaged it gently, making Konan moan out, leaning her head back and arching into Pein, begging him for more wonderful sensations. His hands securely held her to him, as they linked around the small of her back. He pulled away and ran a slick, heated tongue lightly along the valley in between her breasts, up to the dip at the base of her neck. Konan's body was humming with pleasure.

"I love you." Pein said against a collarbone.

Konan's head tilted back forward again, her eyes lidded with passion. "I love you too.." She said breathlessly.

Their lips met again, as Pein reclined into a laying position, bringing his blue-haired goddess with him. Their legs dangled of the edge of the bed and Konan giggled.

"What?" Pein said, smiling at how adorable and sweet Konan was in this mood.

"We're gonna fall off the bed." Konan said, giggling again.

"You might be right." Pein said, then rolled them over, making sure not to fully lie on Konan's belly. "So lets change that." They both scooted up so they were fully on the bed and Konan's head was resting on the plush pillows. Pein hovered over her, his hand traveling down her side to find purchase on her growing stomach.

"I love this, you know…" He said, smiling at her fondly.

"What do you mean?" She said, cocking her head to the side a bit.

"Just, this. You know… everything. Us, the baby, what we're doing… everything."

"Oh." She said, her smile growing. "I love this too."

They kissed once more, and Konan's fingers laced in with Pein's as they both felt their baby gently kick once at their hands.

Pein's face lit up in surprise. _He just felt the baby kick for the first time… His little child was there… _

Konan smiled in realization and tears rimmed her eyes; happiness flowed between them. Pein smiled and rolled over to her side, scooting down to her belly. He placed a chaste kiss next to where their hands were and looked up at her adoringly.

She smiled, lifting a hand and giving him the 'come hither' sign with her index finger.

Pein lifted a graceful eyebrow and returned, their faces close to one another.

Konan kissed him again, gently pulling on one of his piercings. She knew Pein loved it when she did that.

He let out a small groan of satisfaction, as his hand that rested on her stomach trailed down to her thigh. He slung a leg over her form, now straddling her- a hand on the bed, next to her shoulder, supporting him. While their tongues flirted with one another, Pein moved his other hand that rested below her hip to her inner thigh, spreading her legs.

His hand traveled to her heated center, teasingly running fingers over her folds and the adorable, soft blue curls, making her tenderly writhe underneath his touch. She softly moaned into his mouth and arched up, wrapping her hands around his strong biceps.

"Konan…" Pein pulled away, running his finger in between her womanly folds now, feeling her slick liquids tempting his desire to be within her.

"Yes…" Konan moaned with equal longing.

He sunk two fingers into her heated core and curled his fingers forward slightly a few times. Konan mewled at the intimate intrusion, loving every second of it.

"Ahh- Pein…" She moaned, her voice rising in pitch slightly as he pulled out and pushed back in.

"Yes, mitsukai?" Pein asked teasingly, feeling his burn of desire ignite the inferno of love he felt for his angel as her breathy moans met his senses.

"M-more… Pein…" She said, slightly panting at his ministrations.

Pein withdrew his fingers and settled himself in front of her, leaning down, millimeters away from her lips. "I can give you more…" Pein teased.

Konan somewhat rethought her request as she felt his manhood rest against her slick folds. "Are you sure we can do this with the baby?" Konan questioned, glancing from him to her growing middle.

Pein offered her a reassuring smile. "Yes, I'm sure. There's nothing to worry about. I thought this was what you wanted. Don't you?" Pein looked genuinely inquisitive about her answer.

Now her realistic side had returned from the woes of passion. _Did she want this? They had just gotten comfortable with the fact that she was pregnant, but the question was, did she love herself enough right now to do this? They had already gone far enough for her to have time to adjust… Yes… She wanted this very badly._

**-Pein's POV-**

"Mitsukai?" She hadn't responded, just zoned out into her thoughts. Her eyes met his again and with a small nod and a loving smile, signaling for him to continue.

Pein slowly pushed in, holding back a moan as he was enveloped within her.

Konan let out a shaky breath and a moan once he was fully sheathed inside her.

They started out in a slow rhythm, one of Pein's hands on Konan's hip and the other still resting on the bed by her shoulder.

Slowly the rhythm built up to a quicker yet languid motion for the two. It wasn't the usual speed they usually had when there was nothing stopping them and nothing but raw desire, passion, and the love they had for each other on their minds. Now they had a baby to protect and love, and wanted to show just how much they loved each other. It suited them both, as moans and gasping breaths filled the air of the bedroom.

Konan let out a gasp of _"Ah, Pein!" _and her walls clenched around her lover, pulsing with pleasure. This sudden tightness had always brought Pein to the same climax she was experiencing and with a few more thrusts, he groaned and fell over the edge too.

Coming down from his high, Pein leaned down, connecting their lips in one long loving kiss, as he slowly pulled out and lazily settled himself against her side with an arm lightly draped across her middle.

"I love you…" He said sleepily.

"I love you too…" Konan said and then let out a tired sigh.

"Lets sleep." Pein said, pulling the duvet cover over them and reaching over, switching off the lamp.

Konan let out a half-hearted giggle, and then said sarcastically, "Nah, I think I'll go run a marathon…" She snuggled under the covers, situating herself next to him, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Night, Pein."

"Night, Mitsukai."

**AN: So! I hope I haven't lost my touch for heterosexual lemons! Been so long since I wrote one… I was particularly pleased with this chapter… Just a bit of light fluff. Hope it satisfies you for a while! I'll update sooner than I did last time though, I promise! I'm really sorry about that! I switched schools, started classes, and have been so busy! But ****had time to update now that it was Fall Break. **

**Any mistakes you find, just let me know and I'll be sure to fix them!**

**Summary:** Pein can't find Konan one day- after noticing that the past few days, she has been spending a lot of time alone. In her POV, we learn that she had spent the days alone thinking and deciding that having the baby was the right thing to do. He finds her in the old library. They then work all day on turning the old library into the baby room and then make love before going to bed.  
**  
Review? Pretty please? Tell me what you think. You know I love to hear it! **


	6. Guilty Choices Bring Blood

My Mitsukai

**AN: So! I have returned. And this story is around a little more than half way done, I presume. This chapter covers a lot of time: A couple of days. So pay attention to the breaks! (:--:)**

**Enjoy, and R&R, please! Tell me your reactions, thoughts, predictions, what ever you'd like! I'd love to know!**

She was seven months in now and the baby was well on its way. The baby's room had finally started looking ready to accommodate and actual person. Sasori had finished the crib and was adding the finishing coats of polish to it. Deidara, oh Deidara- the mural he had painted on a wall for the baby was honestly one of the most creative things Konan had ever imagined for a baby's room.

He painted a nighttime festival scene, fireworks and the backs of Pein and Konan, with Pein's arm wrapped around his lover. They were both looking up, watching the fireworks. It was so lifelike, all except for the colors. Not one dark color was used. They were all muted pastels, it being a child's room, but even as a night scene, it seemed as if Deidara had used the purest and lightest shades for any hue something was. It was absolutely stunning.

Everything was getting better, day-by-day for Konan. It seemed as if she was finally letting herself be okay with the growing person in her belly.

Even the other Akatsuki, albeit Hidan because he usually forgot, knew to be calmer and more refined around her. It was as if the pregnancy was somehow turning her into a precious crystal that only Pein could touch. The others in the organization always spoke to her with care and let her sit in any chair or on any couch that she pleased, even if that meant they had to find somewhere else to relax.

It was midday and Konan was sitting in the living room, trying to pick out names she liked from the baby book.

"Konan?" Kakuzu called from the kitchen.

"I'm in here," She said back from the living room.

"Oh. I'm going out to the village. Others have made a list for me. Anything you need to add?"

Konan smiled at the polite gesture of asking. "Actually, I've really wanted some peanut butter… and syrup. Oh and could you get some anchovies?"

Kakuzu's expression was one of bewilderment to say the least. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah. I wanted a sandwich… But I looked in the cabinets and we didn't have a couple of things. So if you could just pick those up, that'd be great."

"Uh… Sure Konan-chan." The man attempted to not look disgusted.

Later that day, she had finally picked out a few names for a boy and girl. She walked into the room she shared with her lover and laid on the bed sideways, still reading.

She found a girl's name she liked and read it out loud. "Kimiko: "Beautiful history child, dear child, ruling child."

'_Well, that would definitely fit if she was born with her father's gift…'_ Her mind pictured an adorable little girl peering up at her with Rennigan eyes.

She turned to the males' name section of the book.

'_Pein would probably want to stay traditional with a first born son's name.'_ Her eyes came across a nice, simple name.

"Taro. That's nice…" She read the meaning of the name. _'Taro- Great son, a name only given to a first son. Hmm… That seems like a perfect name.' _

Just in time, Pein slid the door open, slipping his cloak off. He looked a little tired and frustrated, but not enough for Konan to be too worried.

"Hi, love." She said cheerfully yet quiet.

"Hello, Konan-chan." Pein said. She could hear a slight smile in his voice, but also tension as well.

Looking up, she met his eyes. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, just a stressful day. Nothing to worry about." He said, padding over to the bed and laid beside her with a hand gently resting on the baby. That was one of his favorite things to do now- just to have his hand there, feeling their child inside of her.

"Hm. Okay." She said with a small smile.

"Baby book?" Pein inquired, noticing what she was reading.

"Yeah I looked at some names." She shrugged.

"Hm. Like what?" Pein was intrigued to what she had chosen.

"Well, since we don't know the gender yet, I chose one male, and one female name. I figured the son's name would be traditional, so I liked 'Taro'. It means great son."

"Taro…" Pein repeated. "I like it."

"And then for a girl, I picked 'Kimiko' which means ruling child."

Pein smiled, getting the same mental image of a daughter born with the eyes he possessed. "It would fit. I love them both." He said, kissing her on the cheek.

She smiled back, leaning against him comfortably. _'This is all going so well…'_

:--:

It was now the eighth month in, and Konan was starting to feel the repercussions of being pregnant. She wasn't really as active as she was before and stayed in bed most of the time. She felt lazy, but felt worse any time she got up and tried to make herself busy. Pein on the other hand, was secretly dealing with other problems. Konan's worst fear was about to come true.

The meeting room fell in silence. No one spoke after the grave news was delivered.

"Don't you think you should let her know, Pein-sama?" Kisame inquired carefully.

Pein let out a sigh. "I can't do that, Kisame. She can't handle stress right now."

All of the Akatsuki looked guilty hearing the news that one of their members, their precious kunoichi, wouldn't be told of the information.

"Hai, Leader-sama." Kisame said regretfully. _'Konan should really know about this…'_

Pein felt honestly sick. The members' holograms faded out slowly, leaving Pein sitting at the head of Kami's hand, slowly falling into thoughts of regret._ 'This was not how it was supposed to happen… This was supposed to start after our baby grew up a bit… Not now…Not right now.' _

The war was soon to begin. The Second Great War in all of history was approaching faster and faster every day and the baby was yet to arrive. What kind of world is it going to be born into?

:--:

It was late. Konan was expecting him in bed by now. His hologram faded out as well.

As soon as he walked into the bedroom, he saw Konan sleeping lightly. A small sad smile came to his face. _'She deserves better than this…'_

Her eyes slowly came open, hearing cloak fabric rustling lightly. She could already tell how tense and stressed Pein was just from his stance.

"Pein…"

"Hm?" He turned around.

"You're worried. What's going on?"

His heart clenched. He couldn't tell her…

"Nothing, love. Don't worry about anything."

"Don't tell me that." She sat up defensively.

"Mitsukai, really. Everything is fine." He walked over to the bed, putting a calming hand on her back. She was still warily glancing at him, but laid back.

"Lets go to sleep, then."

"Just what I was thinking." Pein crawled into bed after stripping down to his boxers.

Konan couldn't sleep until much later into the night after thinking of what could possibly be going on that no one was telling her about. _'Please.. Don't let it be what I think it is…'_

:--:

An emergency meeting was going on in the cave- minus one member.

"Waterfall ninja just initiated the beginning of the war. Suna has had their first attack. Our allegiance lies with the highest bidder, as you all know. Kisame and Itachi, you have been called to Suna for defense. Go immediately." Their holograms faded out.

"Kakuzu, Hidan: Village Hidden in the Mist. Report to the Mizukage immediately." Their holographic images faded as well.

"For now, that's all. All not called on, go back to the base."

:--:

It had been two days since they had been sent to the villages. Konan walked up to Pein's office, knocking lightly.

"Pein?"

"Yeah, Konan. Come in." _'Shit!'_ He just realized he hadn't cleaned up the office.

She opened the door and was shocked. "W-what is all this?" She looked around the office, which was covered in scattered documents, letters, war book strategies, and blueprints to many buildings in different villages.

'_Time to play pretend.'_ "Oh. I was just strategizing, Konan. Its nothing; calm down." He spoke softly, getting up from his chair, and placing a gentle hand on her cheek, stroking lightly, trying to comfort the worried expression on her face.

Really, he had been planning the Akatsuki's next move and negotiating with the Grass Village on which pair of Akatsuki they wanted.

Konan looked hurt. "Why are you lying to me?" She could always tell when he was lying.

"Love, I'm not. Please… I'm not lying to you, believe me." He smiled softly. "You need to rest."

She nodded hesitantly, turning to go back to the living room.

'_That was a lie… a huge, massive lie, Pein...'_ He thought with a guilty feeling as he closed the door once again after she left and resumed writing his return letter.

Konan went to sit in the living room, but all of the sudden Itachi and Kisame came in through the entrance. Itachi was unharmed, but looked extremely exhausted like he usually did after fighting. That set the first red flag of warning off in Konan's mind.

She then followed her gaze over to her other blue-haired comrade. Kisame's Samehada was unwrapped and drenched in many shades of blood and as soon as he saw her, he tried to hide it- big red flag number two.

Hidan's head comes rolling in next and she could hear Kakuzu yelling from a few yards away, "Hidan, you son of a bitch!"

As Itachi and Kisame quickly found their way away from Konan's view, Kakuzu came in with threads and Hidan's body dragging behind him in pieces.

Tears well up in her eyes, as she covers her grimace with her hand and mutters _"Oh god…'" _She ran from the scene, disturbed not from the brutality of forms they were in, but from the fact of what it could mean: they were at war.

'_As long as Pein doesn't leave… That means the war hasn't started… Those were just normal missions… I've seen them come back in worse condition… Yes, that's all. No war… not yet…'_ She really couldn't lie to herself but was trying desperately as well as trying to calm her tears and wipe them from her eyes.

:--:

Pein didn't come to bed until around two o'clock that night.

He had just received an offer from the Iwagakure for 300,000,000 ryo for himself to go fight in their offense against the Village Hidden in the Wind.

…And he had accepted the offer.

:--:

Konan wakes up the next morning and Pein isn't there. Assuming he's in his office, she goes about her day, taking a shower and having a small breakfast. With a bowl of rice in hand she had made for Pein, she knocked lightly on his office door. _'He always forgot to eat breakfast.'_ She thought, lightly shaking her head in a lovingly scornful way.

"Pein?"

No answer.

"…Pein..?" She opened the door a little to find it empty.

She immediately began to worry. _'Please… don't tell me he left! Don't tell me… Don't…No…'_ Tear were welling up in her eyes as she made her way to the living room, looking for anyone in the base. _'This is it… H-he's gone…the war is here… its true… and I'm not out there. Right now, I would be with Pein, wherever he is. And im not! I'm here with this…_' She looked down at her stomach extremely displeased for the first time in a while._ 'And he could die because I'm not there to help him! Oh god… Please… Don't let him die!'_

Hidan was in the kitchen, all in one piece now.

"Hidan… Where's Pein." She demanded, setting the bowl of rice down on the counter.

"Huh?" Hidan knew where Pein was. They had been in a meeting not two hours before when he had announced the offer he had accepted last night.

"Where. Is. Pein?" She said sternly.

"I don't know. I thought he was here." Hidan shrugged, but then quickly took his glass of water and high-tailed it back to his room.

'_Lie…'_ Konan could tell, once again. Everyone was lying to her.

"Kisame!" She called into the living room.

"I'm right here."

"Where's Pein? Tell me! Where is he?"

The blue man felt on edge, like anything he could say would get him killed by either Konan, or Pein… or both. What was he supposed to tell her? "Um, he just ran out for a couple of things. He'll be back in no time, Konan." But again, he left a bit too quickly after answering.

'_Lie.'_

She began feeling sick.

"Deidara…" She walked into the new library wing.

"Hm?"

"Please… Answer this and don't you dare lie to me…"

"Answer what, un?" Deidara was beginning to get nervous. _'Please, don't let her ask where Leader-sama is…'_

Tears welled up in her eyes, and threatened to spill over. "Please… Where is Pein? I-I can't find him…" She felt her heart break as she asked him. _'I can't find him…' _She tried to stop herself from crying up there was too much pain in her heart at the moment to prevent it.

She looked so sad… so worried and Deidara just couldn't take it. "H-he's not here, un…" Deidara tensed his jaw so he didn't say more.

'_Its true… my worst fears are here…'_ She felt hot tears spill over her cheeks in realization. "W-where is he?" She pleaded.

He closed his eyes, not being able to lie anymore to the poor girl. "He's in Iwa… fighting against the Wind Village."

She let out a horrified noise, now knowing that she had been right all along and that it was obvious that the war had started and that she couldn't take any more of this. Turning away, she went down the hallway with blurry eyes, clutching her stomach. Why did everything hurt right now?!

Her heart, her mind, her back, her womb… She looked down in realization and fear. Her middle hurt more than anything else. _'Oh god… Ah!'_ She suddenly collapsed as she felt the sickening flow of something warm between her legs. Letting out a shaky scream, she wrapped her arms around herself, trying desperately to make everything stop.

Deidara came running out of the library, expecting that Konan had just gone into labor but he saw the puddle of blood and Konan on the floor. His mind went into complete panic. _'That is SO not normal, un!! Shit, shit, un, what do I do?!'_

"Kakuzu!!! Zetsu!!! Anybody!!!" He yelled throughout the base, looking around in horror, hoping someone would show up- and soon.

"Konan! Oh Konan… I'm so sorry! Please… Please be okay… He'll be back! I promise! Konan!" Deidara tried to get through to her, but she had totally blocked out anything else because of all the pain that was electrocuting her nerves.

"Peeeeeiin!" She yelled out in agony, as she writhed on the floor, bleeding heavier.

Kakuzu came running down the hallway, hearing her scream and Deidara's yell for help.

"What happened?!" He demanded, seeing Konan in pain and the blood leaking through her cloak.

"I don't know, un!! B-but help her!!"

Kakuzu scooped her up, feeling blood dripping from her cloak below her waist. Supporting her back, he made his way down to the infirmary.

"Deidara! Go get blankets and towels and a pillow! This baby isn't going to stay in much longer, or Konan's going to bleed out!" Kakuzu ordered, laying Konan down on one of the metal examination tables after stripping her out of her cloak and laying his clean one down for her to lie on.

Still letting out small cries of pain, Konan felt herself being moved about. _'Pein… where are you…Pein! Please…come back…Make it stop… make everything stop!'_

Kakuzu took off the rest of her clothes, as he saw just how much blood was soaking her lower body.

'_Holy Kami… Damnit, she's hemorrhaging.'_

The rest of the Akatsuki rushed in: Zetsu, Itachi, Kisame, Hidan, Sasori, and finally Deidara with an armful of blankets and a few pillows. They all saw what Konan was going through and the blood soaking through Kakuzu's cloak she was laying on and suddenly all feared for Konan's life and the little baby's growing inside of her as well.

"Here, un! I gotta go get towels!" He exclaimed shakily, handing the huge bundle of soft objects to Itachi and running back out in a panic.

"Hidan, go get a bowl of warm water." Hidan had been gawking in horror at the blood Konan was letting out. "Hidan! Quickly, go!" Finally, he turned and hurried out of the room.

Zetsu asked with a nervous voice, "What can we do?"

"I have to get the baby out. Do you have any antibacterial herbs or something?"

"Of course! I'll go get them." He rushed out, arguing with himself in worry about which to get.

The whole base was filled with concern and fear for their beloved kunoichi and her baby.

:--:

Spilling in through the front door, Pein ran to their bedroom. She had to know… He couldn't keep it from her any longer… The opposing shinobi were nearing the base. Opening the door quickly, he found that his blue haired lover wasn't there.

"Konan?" Pein was getting worried. He closed the door, walking quickly down to the old library. Sliding the door open, he looked in there too.

No Konan.

'_Maybe she… no. She couldn't have left.'_

Just then, Deidara came running down the hallway, passing Pein and skidding into the shower room, grabbing a handful of towels.

"Deidara, what the hell?!"

"Better follow me, Leader-sama, un," The blonde rushed past him again, "if you're looking for Konan!"

Pein went wide-eyed then immediately went off, chasing Deidara down the dark hallway to the infirmary, but slipped on a puddle and trail of blood half way there.

He went wide eyes, almost letting out an audible scream. _'Is all of this Konan's blood?!'_

**AN: So what do you think, hm? Drama, drama... so review please, so I can begin working on the next chapter with your thoughts in mind! Please and thank you**


	7. Between Life and Death

My Mitsukai

**AN: Hi everybody! I really hope I didn't lose too many readers because of the sudden AWOL for around… 4 months. But I'm back!! And I hope you guys like this chapter! I know it's the one everyone's been looking forward to.**

**Alright, well, without further delay, let the chaos ensue~.**

**:--:**

Pein ran after Deidara, trying to keep himself under control enough to not break down right there. Shinobi could handle way more stress than a normal person, but at the moment, this was almost too much.

Rushing into the infirmary, Deidara handed the towels to Kakuzu who rolled over a table to set them on and then took two, placing them under Konan to catch the blood and amniotic fluids that were still spilling from her body.

Pein ran in after him, skidding to a stop beside Konan and taking her hand.

"Baby, it's me… Mitsukai.. I'm here, please… Oh Kami, what have I done?"

Pein was close to tears as he looked into Konan's glassy eyes, watching as she drifted in and out of consciousness.

"P-…Pein….." She said in a trembling whisper.

"Konan… You gotta make it through this…" Pein said, tears welling up in his eyes as he shook his head softly. "You gotta… You can't leave me, my angel…"

She squeezed his hand, but it was weaker than he had ever felt. "I… _**AH!**_" A spasm wracked Konan's delicate frame and she arched up of the table a little, clutching her abdomen. She gasped for breath, her eyes widened in pain.

"Konan!... Please!..." Pein pleaded, looking up to Kakuzu. "What do we do? Please… Something!?…" The leader was in a state of panic.

Kakuzu nodded lightly and took the kunai he had just sterilized with the herbs Zetsu came back with and put a few drops of the poison Sasori brought over the slightly bruising skin of her belly.

"Hold her hand… I don't know what's going to happen with this." Kakuzu said sternly, feeling the stress of holding the leader's lover and child's life-lines in his hands.

Placing the cold metal of the kunai to her skin, he applied pressure, making a clean cut straight down her middle.

Konan let out another weak scream, thrashing her head back and forth a little and her shoulders trembling from the pain.

Blood poured out and he caught the trails with a towel, quickly discarding the kunai on one of the tables he'd rolled over.

Itachi's Sharingan flashed as he swung around toward the door in time to catch a Kunai flying down the hallway in his eyesight.

"Leader-sama?!" Kisame cried, hearing the thud as it jammed into the wood.

"Shit… Kami… Everyone! Go! The enemy is here; attack! Keep them away from this room, damnit!" Pein ordered in a hurried yell, looking from the door to Konan and back to the door.

Kakuzu stretched the incisions a bit, pushing his hands in and trying to remember something about delivering children— _Like he would know_.

Konan's breath had turned harsh and small whimpers fell from her lips as her eyes became confused and far off as if she wasn't with them anymore at all.

"Leader-sama, get out there. There's nothing you can do here!" Kakuzu demanded, hearing the yells and feral cries of the battle starting to take place just outside the infirmary.

Pein shook his head. "I can't let her die here without me!" He said defensively, holding her hand tighter.

Kakuzu looked straight at Pein, his green eyes glowing with meaning. "Pein, I will _not_ let her die."

Pein clenched his jaw as he fought back tears at just the thought of it. Living without Konan… He swore he'd kill himself before that happened. He still would.

Nodding shortly and kissing Konan's temple as gently as he could, he sprinted from the room.

It was time to fight.

:--:

Itachi spun around faster than the enemy, landing a harsh side-kick to his opponent's ribs and hearing the satisfying crack and shatter of bone. Usually, he preferred dragging out the deaths of his victims with help from his torturous other-worldly gift of his eyes, but now there were too many to take that luxury.

His katana gave a sickly metal-upon-metal ring as he clashed it against another shinobi's kunai, successfully disarming him and then sending the shining silver blade through the ninja's heart.

Kisame was right beside him, Samehada swinging violently and inhaling every ounce of chakra from the enemy the swordsman had just murdered.

Hidan felt out of place, fighting without his stitched partner at his side. They always combined their attacks but now he was flying solo, his scythe whipping through the air as he beheaded two and three shinobi at a time.

"**_FUCKERS!!!_**" He exclaimed in a fit of rage, connecting the top blade with a kunoichi's skull. "Jashin-sama will make you pay for this! You will burn for all eternity!!!"

Deidara had explosive birds soaring left and right as he detonated them throughout the base, killing small groups of gathered fighters. He thought to himself, looking at the scene. _'Blood fest is an understatement, un.'_

Sasori yelled back to him. "Watch out, brat!!" Deidara looked over his shoulder just in time to get knocked out of the rafters above the large hallway by an agile shinobi's kick to his left shoulder blade.

"Oof!" He landed on his hip, a hand slamming down to attempt to take some of the force from other parts of his body. That hand-mouth throbbed as he got to his feet, elbowing the ninja in the jaw that had knocked him off of his perch.

"Damn you, un! I hate bruises!" He yelled, offering the enemy a barrage of kicks and punches. Before the younger shinobi had time to land any more good hits, Deidara slammed a kunai into his eye-socket, successfully killing him on the spot.

:--:

Kakuzu ran a stitched forearm across his brow, wiping the sweat away. His hands were too bloody at the moment to do that. Konan was still squirming on the table and several times, she had deliriously tried to touch her stomach. Kakuzu had to use his threads to restrain her hands.

She was starting to pale as she fought against his bindings, her lips an ashy shade of tan.

"Konan, stay with me. You can't die. I can't let you." Kakuzu urged, taking his kunai and cutting through the amniotic sac to gain access to the pre-mature child. It had only been eight months.

Finally clearing away enough blood to see what he was doing, Kakuzu dug both hands into her womb, delicately pulling out the baby and finding the umbilical cord, being very careful not to tug on it as he removed the child.

It was a girl. He knew that much already.

Grabbing a towel, he looked back up to Konan. "Blue, you have a daughter… Now you** cannot **die… You just can't. Don't leave your daughter." Kakuzu hoped to any deity that was willing to listen in this situation that Konan could hear him.

Taking the towel and gently wiping off the infant, he cleared out her air passage, gently stroking her chest to try to stimulate breathing. "Come on.." He muttered in a softer voice. "Cry, damnit… You gotta cry…"

The baby didn't make a sound. He felt his adrenaline rush as well as a chill run down his spine. Konan started coughing.

Moving up a little, he saw that she was coughing up small amounts of blood. Not letting go of the child, he released his threads from her wrists and quickly used them instead to make her lean up a little, giving her enough relief to breathe again and not choke from the blood.

Putting his attention back on the child, he cleared her airways again. "Breathe, God damnit!" He exclaimed in a whisper.

A small noise came from the child and then finally a near ear-splitting wail emitted from the infant's vocal chords.

Relief washed through Kakuzu, all of his nerves spiking at the noise. She was alive- the little girl was alive.

Quickly wrapping her up in blankets and putting her safely in a little nest of clean towels, he took another towel, wiping the blood off of Konan's lips and cheek. He rubbed her back gently before laying her back down and toweling off the wound, beginning to stitch her back together.

:--:

"MOVE, KISAME!!!" Deidara yelled as one of his clay birds exploded into a group Kisame had been handling.

Quickly moving away, Kisame swung Samehada onto his next victim. They were dead within the next two seconds.

Pein looked around as he fought. He didn't recognize who they were fighting, but knew they were from the wind village.

'_Wait… I didn't… They couldn't have followed me back here… I—'_ His thoughts fell short as he realized he_ had_ brought them back with him. This was his fault.

He had been so caught up in getting back to Konan's side as fast as possible that he hadn't taken the necessary side-routes and shortcuts to fight off any followers. He had led them straight to the hide-out.

It seemed like everything was moving in slow motion for him as he fought. He felt the blade slice through the opponent's chest and the warm metallic liquid trickle through his grip but his brain gave the feeling no special recognition.

He had just killed someone… But had brought them here as well. He caused all of this.

His body seemed to have switched to auto-pilot as he flattened down anyone that dared cross his path.

Yes, he heard the calls of the Akatsuki members, the faint cry of '_**Katsu!**_' from the blonde bomber and Hidan's Jashinistic exclamations. But they were only noises—he could barely process them. The only things that were on his mind were killing the enemy and willing Konan and their child to live.

:--:

Kakuzu finally finished the stitches along Konan's abdomen and he stuck his head out the door, his eyes searching for a particular redhead.

"Sasori!" He called and the puppet turned and ran toward him.

"What?" He said, looking from Kakuzu to the battle and back to the stitched-man.

"I need a bottle of that blood regenerating serum. Do you have any?" Kakuzu asked quickly, wiping his hands off again.

"Yeah." Sasori said quickly and ran through the battle, making a bee-line for his chambers.

Going back into the infirmary, Kakuzu took away all of the bloody towels and replaced a clean one between Konan's legs. She still hadn't stopped bleeding there.

Checking her pulse, he heard it was quick and faint. Her heart was working too hard and not being able to pump enough blood. She was right on the edge of life and death and only the medicine Sasori was retrieving could save her.

"Here!" The puppet exclaimed, running through the door and throwing the vile to Kakuzu then quickly exiting again, a kunai in hand.

Catching it effortlessly, Kakuzu uncorked the bottle and sat Konan up a little, pouring the small amount of the vial's contents into her mouth.

Coughing lightly and blinking furiously, Konan struggled as she swallowed the dark green liquid.

The baby let out a wail and Kakuzu laid Konan back down on the table. Now the only thing that could happen was the concoction to take effect and help her blood supply by replicating the existing cells at a rapid speed. They would only be temporary, but that safety-net amount would give her body enough time to regenerate her own supply of blood-cells.

Picking the baby up with delicate hands, he looked at her clearly for the first time. She already had almost a full head of short yet striking blue hair and peered up at him with icy Rin'negan-ringed eyes. She looked like a perfect little replica of her parents.

No, she was a perfect little replica. She had survived the odds and would live to meet the two wonderful people that created her.

:--:

Finally as the battle raged on, the Wind's defenses diminished enough to cause the others to retreat to save their own lives. Shuriken and bombs were showered upon the ninja that were running and evil calls and strings of curses followed after them, echoing through the deep ravine where the base was located.

The group's ragged breath was the last to quiet down as they stood together, Pein at the head of the group, making sure everyone was still there.

No one had been harmed beyond cuts and bruises. Kisame had a large gash in his bicep but wasn't worrying about it. Deidara's hair was tipped with different shades of red where he had been running about and getting smeared with blood. Sasori's body had a few dents and carvings but those could be easily repaired with a piece of sandpaper and his talent with wood. Hidan was cut up the most, but everyone knew that was nothing compared to what he did to himself almost every day.

Nodding slightly, everyone let Pein through the group to go to the infirmary. They decided to wait in the hall out of respect.

:--:

The door carefully opened and Pein walked in, becoming gravely calm and serious.

Turning around, Kakuzu gave him a reassuring nod.

"I told you I wouldn't let her die. She's a kunoichi—stronger than most." Kakuzu said, gathering the little baby in his arms and walking toward Pein.

"And this," He said, handing Pein the tiny bundle. "Is your daughter."

Pein took the small child, his hands carefully holding the little girl close to his chest.

"…Kimiko?" He said softly, looking down at the small, peach colored infant that looked back up at him, her Rin'negan reflecting his own.

"She's…" He trailed off, too amazed to finish. "Perfect. I know." Kakuzu said, a small smirk of affirmation crossing his lips.

Holding the baby carefully, he walked over to Konan, touching the back of her palm. "Mitsukai…. I'm here… Our daughter's here too…." Pein said, his emotions threatening to spill over.

He didn't know how to feel right now. He had just come from one of the bloodiest battles he could have ever imagined and now was holding the smallest, most fragile piece of perfection one could imagine and was gazing at his most beloved person on earth as she slowly regained color to her cheeks.

"Konan… My love… You did it." He said softly, leaning down a little and brushing his lips to her forehead, tucking a little stray piece of blue hair behind her ear.

"Pei—…" She couldn't finish, her voice scratchy and dry, but her eyes opened a little, slightly glazed over but still alert.

"Baby… I'm right here… It's okay…" He said, stroking a thumb gently across her cheek.

"But…" She whispered, taking small, labored breaths and trailing her hand down to her stomach, feeling that it was flat again.

"She's alive, Konan… Our daughter… She's right here." He bent down a little and took his blue-haired lover's hand, carefully touching her fingertips to the baby's arm to let her feel the infant's soft skin.

"Our… girl?.." She said softly, her eyes widening slightly as she became a little more alert.

"Yes, your Kimiko… Our baby girl." Pein said with a loving smile. The child gave a soft coo afterwards.

:--:

Kakuzu had let himself out of the room, knowing the pair would be fine now on their own.

The rest of the members were either sitting or leaning against the wall outside the door and they all looked up warily as Kakuzu exited, not knowing the news to expect.

"They're alive. Both of them." He said, nodding softly.

"Aw, un! What is it? A boy??" Deidara asked as every member's face brightened at the news.

"No, a girl actually. She has Pein's gift, though. Eyes of the Gods. I think they named her 'Kimiko'." Kakuzu said, giving off a soft shrug as he sat down against the wall next to Hidan and began to sew up the nasty wound on the Jashinist's side.

"Well, maybe now we can have a happy ending to all of this." Sasori said, running a hand through his hair that was messy as usual.

"Doubtful.." Itachi answered in a cold voice. "The war isn't over."

:--:

**AN: Alright! So there's a little semi-happy, semi-cliff-hanging ending for ya. Hope you enjoyed!**

**Please, please, don't forget to review??**


	8. Nothing, No one

My Mitsukai

**AN: Okay, so it's been… what, a YEAR? Yes.. seems like forever to me too. Life has changed, I've moved on a bit, don't really watch Naruto anymore.. –feels guilty for admitting it- but I feel worse for not finishing this story when all the grand ideas were fresh it my mind. Curse curse curse. Anyway. So I don't want to leave this unfinished. Especially after all of the amazing reviews from my loyal fans. Guilt trip, much?? I owe you guys an awesome chapter. I just hope I deliver adequately. **

**Btw. Sorry for any spelling or incoherence, this is a RAW COPY, only having gone through one read and edit after 4 hours of writing it, at 4:30 am. Tell me if you catch anything I missed. Enjoy.**

**:--:  
**

Konan's eyes fluttered open and the first thing she was struck with was the pain—and… emptiness? Confusion settled on her features as she tried to sit up with alert quickness, only to nearly double over on her side. An unladylike curse slipped from her mouth and she sat up slowly, shaky from the trauma her body had suffered the last day or two. How long had it been? She'd lost track of time after realizing Pein was gone.

_'Pein?...' _She looked around, everything slowly coming back to her through a fog. **"Pein…" **She whispered the word, the sacred caress of her lover's—and leader's— name.

No answer.

Getting up, she drew in a ragged breath between her teeth, reflexively clutching her belly to protect the child, but then feeling her blood run cold when all she could feel was the flat abdomen close to what it had been before she was with child. Her throat couldn't even work up a scream. Lifting up her shirt, she saw a jagged scar running up her belly. Panic morphed into terror as she stared at the ugly puckered pink line.

_'What had happened??? Where did he go? My baby!...'_

Panic stricken, Konan left the room as quickly as she could, her muscles straining from soreness. Finding her voice, she started to work up a yell for anyone but then stopped herself. …Why was the hideout so abnormally quiet?...

She paused and looked around. This wasn't the hideout. The layout was different. It was emptier. She faintly remembered Pein speaking of a backup location once, just as an errant thought. That's where they must be… But why? What had happened to the hideout? There was no way it could have been found. She'd helped set up the seals herself.

She felt a certain unease creep at the back of her neck, sending a chill down her spine. Someone was watching her. She could feel it…

Taking in a breath, thanking the Gods her skills had not left her through the waiting period of childbirth, she spun around to look behind her.

Nothing. No one.

And then, there was an intake of breath at her back as instantaneously as there was a kunai at her throat.

**"They call you Blue, I've heard… Can't understand how they came up with that name, huh. Creative."** A gravely masculine voice hissed at her ear sarcastically, pressing the kunai to her skin harder, a small drop of blood trailing down across her collarbone.

**"Who are you…"** She asked to distract him, curling her hands around her waist as if huddling into herself for protection.

**"Don't move!"** He growled at her, enraged.

**"Please… Who are you…"** She faked a stuttering, frightened voice.

**"You can't fool me, Blue.. I know just who you are. And what you can do. Make one move of those hands of yours, and I'll turn you into shreds."**

Konan's face showed no reaction to the words, but she thought smugly. Thank goodness he didn't know _that_ much about her. Whispering a word so silently it was inaudible to anyone's ears, she felt the chakra swell within her, breaking up now into tiny shards as her body shattered as quickly as a porcelain doll into pieces of razor-sharp paper onto the floor.

Surging upward at the attacker, she sliced three dagger-sharp lines into the man's throat then drove several pieces through his chest, leaving no doubt to his untimely death. Letting the paper flutter back to her form, she reappeared just as he fell to the floor behind her.

Her eyes were cold, calculating. Walking through the hideout, she finally heard a noise—a soft coo. This immediately softened her expression and she raced toward the noise, thinking she knew just what—or who—that was.

Bursting through the door, she was met with Itachi holding a small bundle, a tuft of blue hair atop the little head. Her eyes widened as her hand ran absentmindedly over her stomach, just to check. Just to make sure of the connection between her and this… small fragile thing in Itachi's arms. She wiped the blood away from the small cut on her neck absentmindedly.

**"Konan."** Itachi stood, bowing slightly in courtesy. **"You've woken up. Good."** Itachi's failing eyesight wasn't sharp enough to catch the small cut in Konan's flesh.

**"Itachi?..."** Konan trailed off, her mind cluttered with confusion again, but she watched herself as her body walked toward Itachi, arms outstretched for the child reflexively. What was she doing? What was this.. little blue thing? Was it hers??

Itachi quickly handed her over. **"This is Kimiko, your daughter. You've been through quite a lot. I imagine from your clueless expression that you don't remember much. You hemorrhaged and Kakuzu had to rush to get the baby out before it drowned it its own—well… You can imagine."** Itachi didn't like discussing this subject. It was not his responsibility.

_'Save that for her beloved Pein.' _Itachi thought in mild disgust, quite disgruntled with his leader at the moment because he was the chosen 'guard' for this child. Everyone else was absent. They had left him here.

As if she read his mind, she looked around. **"Where is everyone? Why are you the only one here? With… with this.. My, …Kimiko?"** She couldn't help but stutter at the name, her motherly side inwardly dreading this because she wasn't feeling the warm acceptance of motherhood to this small bundle in her arms. She couldn't understand why. What was supposed to happen?

Neither of the ninja had any idea of the turmoil going on behind each other's eyes but Itachi answered her question honestly.

**"They're all over, right now, actually. In different countries, fighting different parts of the war."** Itachi looked at her with a blank expression, glancing down at the child for a moment with an uncaring gaze.

**"The… War?"** She breathed, holding the child closer to her chest as it squirmed.

**"It broke out days before you delivered. Kakuzu believes you hemorrhaged from the stress of finding Pein gone that morning. He came back in a rush and unknowingly led a group of rogue ninja to the hideout—Wait. You don't remember _any _of this?"**

Itachi was not aware of the trail she had been going through at the time of the blood and gore he had taken part in outside that little room.

**"No… Not much… It's all a blur. Where is Pein, then? When will he be back?"**

**"Tomorrow."** Itachi said curtly.

Konan nodded slowly, noticing the edge to his voice. **"Why are you here? Why not Deidara or Sasori?" **Those were the only other candidates she could imagine looking out for a child. Kakuzu… maybe. Hidan and Kisame were just too… violent. She couldn't imagine it.

**"Kisame mentioned my failing eyesight and the convenience that my strongest defense, Sharingan, was hands free."** His lips turned down in a frown, that being the most emotion Konan had ever seen Itachi display.

**"They agreed that I should stay behind to watch out for the child and for you—"**

Konan interrupted him, her mind remembering through all of these sudden, scattered hairpin turn of events. **"Oh! Who _was _that???"** She hissed.

**"Excuse me?"** Itachi questioned.

**"The man in the hallway. His remains are still on the tatami mats. He assaulted me."** She said, looking down at the baby and feeling like it was a prop, her lips turning down in a frown. This baby didn't seem real to her. It didn't feel like her baby. Just an object in her arms, weighing her down.

Itachi wheeled over to the door silently, peering out.** "And you just decided not to mention this when you came in, WHY?"** He whispered to her angrily.

**"I.. The baby. You. I was caught off-guard."** She knew this was a pathetic answer. She didn't understand why her mind didn't seem to want to cooperate right now.

Slinking out the door like a jungle cat stalking his prey, Itachi drew a kunai from the pouch within his cloak, listening for even the faintest breath or shuffle.

Nothing. No one.

Turning around to face Konan, he checked her expression. Reserved, fearful—but not like there was someone right behind him. Checking over his shoulder one more time, he knew there was no one there.

**"I'm going to go look at the body."** Itachi muttered, stalking off down the hallway.

Nodding once, Konan shut the door, feeling that if it were open, it would mean there was too much space for her to guard. She felt overwhelmed.

Sitting in a chair and studying the child once again, she felt cold drops of fear pool into her stomach like venom spreading from a snake. Who was this child? Why hadn't she felt the pull of motherhood when she saw it, like she had felt in the hallway when she heard it coo?

Her forehead creased delicately in confusion and frustration as the baby squirmed again. It was as if it was unhappy in her arms. This made her feel even worse. Even the child felt it. Was she even its mother?

Then, everything changed. The child rolled a little so it could turn its head weakly and peek up at her through its tiny fragile eyelashes. Konan's breath hitched and the child opened its eyes a little more.

**"R-rinnegan…"** She stumbled over the simple word, tears pricking the corners of her eyes. The little blue-haired infant cooed softly, reaching a small hand up, helplessly trying to reach for its mother.

Feeling tears fall down her cheeks, Konan lifted the baby closer, holding its soft little hand to her cheek.

**"Kimiko…"** She whispered, closing her eyes and repressing a sob. Everything was starting to piece together. This was her child… But more, this was Pein's heir.

The baby murmured softly, its little fingers pressing into Konan's cheek as if it desired to be closer.

Konan wiped her cheeks lightly and held the baby close to her warm chest, rocking softly. **"Our Kimiko…"** She cooed softly to the child.

The doors opened quietly as Itachi slipped in, interrupting the breathtaking moment. **"Where exactly did you say the body was located?" **He asked in a cool voice.

**"In the hallway between the room I was in and here. Just past the right turn. Why?" **She said, confused.

**"There was no body there. I checked everywhere."**

Konan just stared. Impossible! **"Its… gone?..."**

**"It must have been a selective attack…"** Itachi probed at the possibilities.** "One man inside for the dirty work and one out to make sure the mission was carried out."**

Konan swallowed nervously. Obviously, the mission had not been carried out. Were they under attack and just didn't know it?

**"How did they find us?... We're not even at the hideout."**

**"I don't know. But they did."** Itachi answered in a chilled voice.

:--:

Pein felt his chakra draining as another one of his bodies took a blow, his Rinnegan weakening in its assault against his current enemy. It was, however, enough to finish this elite fighter off.

Trudging back to the headquarters of the war branch for the Village Hidden in the Wind, he collected his payment for fighting in their service. Thanking them hollowly, he started the long run back to the new hideout, taking all of the necessary shortcuts, scenic routes, and double backs to lose any followers.

Weary from fatigue and worry, he felt like half the man he knew he was when the hideout came into view. Konan was in there… He needed to find this other half of himself before seeing her. He couldn't let her know that this war wasn't turning out in his favor right now. The Akatsuki weren't getting the recognition he had expected them to. All of the countries were taking it in stride.

Taking a breath and drawing on the last bits of chakra he had right now for strength, he entered the lair and went to the back room where they had left Itachi and the child. He heard Konan's feminine voice and Itachi's unaffected one.

**"It's Pein."** He announced himself with unnecessary caution. They could read his chakra signatures, but he felt rude just barging in.

The door opened almost violently and Konan stood in its wake, her eyes locking with Pein's. So many emotions flashed across Konan's features all in the same moment. Pain, denial, love, longing, rage, uncertainty, distrust, all wrapped up in confusion. Itachi stood in the background, holding the child.

**"I missed you…"** Was all she could come up with.

**"I missed you too."** He answered softly, opening his arms to her.

She stepped into them and hugged him fiercely. Nothing could keep them apart—not even this. Their hearts were bound to each other too strongly to be separated.

**"Pein-sama." **Itachi addressed his leader respectfully with a curt bow, not allowing this love-fest any longer. There were issues to deal with.

**"Konan had to assassinate a ninja when she woke up, leaving the body in the hallway. That means someone knows we're here. The bigger problem, however, is that when I went to go examine the corpse, it was nowhere to be found."**

Pein did a reflexive sweep around the room with his eyes, taking a slow, measured breath. **"I see."** He said, looking to the child in Itachi's arms to assure himself of his daughter's safety and then a glance at Konan to make sure she was unscathed. Everything was demanding his attention all in the same moment. This war, his lover, they're child, and the missing corpse within their protected walls.

**"Itachi, I'll take Kimiko. Do a sweep of all the rooms, then the immediate perimeter. Come back to me for report. Please."** He added the polite end out of courtesy, understanding Itachi wasn't complacent with him at the moment.

With a bow, Itachi handed him the child and quickly started his task, leaving them their much needed privacy.

**"You're hurt…"** Pein said, running a finger just under the cut on her neck.

**"It's nothing. He's dead now.." **She waved it off but didn't recoil from his touch.

**"I don't remember anything." **Her voice was suddenly firm and direct.

**"I was afraid Sasori's medicine would affect your memories of the event. He warned me they would. I must say, I'm almost glad they did. It was… a bloody affair to say the least."** Pein said, studying their child, who had overcome such risky odds.

Konan snorted with distaste for his words.** "I'm an S-ranked kunoichi. I find it insulting you would desire to shield my innocent eyes from the sight of violence."** The last sentence practically dripped with sarcasm and she took Kimiko from Pein's arms as if the possession made her the higher power.

Pein's eyes lit up with anger and dominance as he studied her. **"You don't see it, do you?—How much danger we're in. How much we are risking, carrying out the plan I formed years and years ago—our dream. And here you are, acting as if I have made all of this up to create a pretense for my absence. Has childbirth affected your mind, Konan?"** He nearly spat the words at her but still kept his voice at a low volume.

Konan's jaw clenched as she held back a mess of curses and insults that were dying to break free. **"No, Pein-sama."** She said, knowing the blow would hit low under his pride. He still wouldn't stand her calling him the distant title of leader.

**"Konan…" **He said, his rage slowly simmering.

She looked down at the baby, wanting to change the subject. **"It has your eyes."** She said sadly.

**"Yes, _she_ does."** He corrected, concerned with how Konan was referring to Kimiko as if she weren't a living person.** "She's amazing—already, having survived so much."**

Konan nodded mechanically, still holding the child, not letting her eyes leave the blue stands of hair falling like streams of tears down the baby's scalp.

:--:

Deidara finally trekked over the final hill, seeing the hideout. _'Thank gods,'_ he thought to himself.

Pein exited the room when he felt Deidara's unmistakable chakra sign near. **"I'll be back."** He murmured to Konan as a promise, but she heard it more as a threat.

Pein opened the door to see Deidara, haggard but smiling none-the-less. **"I do believe I have 150,000,000 more ryo to add to the pot, Leader-sama."** Deidara handed Pein the briefcase full of money his temporary country of allegiance had rewarded him with.

**"Thank you, Deidara. Go clean up. I want a full report before you rest."**

**"Hai, Leader-sama."** Deidara said, bowing slightly before shuffling down the hall to his quarters.

Pein sighed softly as he placed the briefcase in the sub-floor vault under his desk in his office. Another country aiding with their taking over the world. That made the day a bit brighter.

Itachi came back into the hideout, finding Pein just exiting his office.

**"Nothing out of the ordinary."** Itachi said, bowing slightly.

**"Very well. You've been called to the Grass Village for interrogation assistance. Be set to leave in 2 hours. You will be gone for one to two days."**

Itachi nodded with another bow of exit, going off to his quarters too.

Going back to find Konan, all he found was a note scrawled on a piece of paper.

_**"Gone to think. Be back later."**_

This would have been completely fine if Konan didn't still have Kimiko. Pein crumbled the paper in rage and looked around, trying to understand the underlying meaning to her 'thinking'. This was something more. He could feel it in the core of his existence.

:--:

Konan was hurrying through the woods, carrying the child delicately in her arms. By her sense of the surrounding foliage, she knew they were in the area just outside of the Grass Village—where she had originally planned to leave Kimiko with a civilian family if need be.

_'Convenient.'_

She had made up her mind while Pein was out of the room. She weighed the possibilities with all the logic she possessed. Pein needed her. The Akatsuki needed her as a ninja, not a mother. She would have to part with this child. It would be hard… She could feel that. Even though her emotions didn't come at first, she knew she would miss this tiny warm weight in her arms, the little replicas of her father's eyes peering up at her from time to time.

It made her nervous, thinking about having to pick what house to leave her with. She would have no time to learn of the family within the houses. How crude it was, to judge a family to leave her child with by what the outside of their house looked like. It turned her stomach to even think it.

She resolved. She would not think. She would just do.

Maybe she could check in on her daughter every year or so if thinks went well with the war. She wouldn't ever meet… Always remain at a distance—no. She couldn't let herself even hope. There was no hope. This war was going to destroy life as they knew it if they didn't have all limbs available to fight with. Why would she leave them an arm short?

It was selfish, her mind told her, to even consider motherhood before the loyalty of her teammates. Her heart whispered otherwise but she shut it out. There was only one way. No other option available.

She was so lost in her thoughts that she jumped when a kunai whizzed by her ear, thudding into the tree in front of her.

**"Konan!..."** A ragged voice yelled—Pein. He had followed her, throwing the kunai to get her attention.

Closing her eyes, Konan spun to face him.** "What?"**

**"What are you doing with Kimiko?"** Pein asked, rushing up to her, trying to take the baby from her arms.

She wouldn't budge—and he couldn't force her.

**"I'm doing what needs to be done, Pein. You know this. Stop avoiding it."** She said, swallowing to assure that her voice wouldn't break.

**"No…"** He muttered. **"You won't. Not our daughter. We will_ make_ this work. I'll find a way. You need to stop being so… so…."** He couldn't find the words._ 'Crazy? Was that the word for her?'_

**"I love you, Konan…"** He breathed.** "I don't know what in the world has altered your knowledge of that in the past few days but I can assure you, it has not changed."** He said with natural authority.

She swallowed again, a lump forming in her throat.** "I won't let this child ruin the dream we've sculpted, Pein. I won't do it."** She shook her head 'no' as if to intensify her resolve.

**"Stop this!..."** Pein raised his voice, looking her straight in the eyes. **"I love you and I love this baby. I will not let you destroy what we could have because of something dreamed of in the past. This is my dream now. Can you not see that? You say you won't deny me of my dream yet that's exactly what you're planning on doing. But I will not stand by and let you. Please, Konan… I'm begging you. Give me my dream… Just let it happen."** His eyes pleaded into hers.

Konan's willpower seemed to have dissolved and a tear slipped from the rim of her eyelashes, her lip trembling. She felt as if her heart was breaking with Pein's every word. He made her feel like the bad guy instead of the lovely heroine. She shook her head no again, clearing her head. **"Why did you let the dream change? I don't want… You'll regret this. You'll regret this and blame me."**

**"No, Konan!.. I won't! Why won't you listen to yourself? You're delusional!"** Pein paused, collecting himself.

Konan nearly swayed on her feet, not reacting to Pein's outburst, not letting him know she was affected by his opinion of her. How could she not be?

**"Look at this baby, Konan. Her eyes… My eyes. Your hair and skin, our blood, our love. Why can't you love that? Love what's natural for you to love. This is _our_ child."** Pein's voice had taken on a demanding tone as he implored for her agreement.

Konan felt her heart sink. She did love her…

**"Look at how beautiful she is, Konan. Think of what she could be."** He said with finality, staring into his blue haired lover's eyes with longing and adoration.

Konan bit back tears, a raging war going on inside her. She didn't know what the right thing to do was. How could she do the right thing, when the right thing would break Pein's heart? Yet the other way would ruin everything.

**"Come back to the hideout. It's dangerous out here, no matter how safe the forests have seemed before."**

Konan shifted the baby in her arms and walked back with Pein to the hideout, not muttering a word. Her resolve had been weakened, but not destroyed.

:--:

Getting back to the lair, Pein saw Kakuzu and Kisame had returned from their missions. They were both in the living area, writing their full reports.

**"That's not necessary…"** Pein said, sighing.** "Just see me in my office."**

Turning to face Konan, he kisses her softly, happily noticing she did not pull back.

**"Meet you in our chambers?... Thirty minutes… Please."** Pein needed her. He hadn't been able to be close to her for the last week.

Konan nodded softly, carrying Kimiko to the back bedroom she was sharing with Pein.

:--:

After hearing both successful and unpleasant sides of Kisame's, Deidara's, and Kakuzu's reports, Pein walked back to the bedroom, rubbing his temples. The thought of the missing corpse was still on his mind. It made him feel uneasy.

Sighing softly, he let it go for now. There could be millions of corpses all around him and it wouldn't matter a bit if he didn't have Konan. She was his main priority.

As Pein walked into the bedroom, he felt her eyes on him from the bed.

**"You're tense…" **She murmured. She was worried. Pein smiled softly at this, feeling her affection still subtly there as always.

**"It's been a hard day. The love of my life tried to run away with my dream."** He spoke cryptically, his eyes glancing over to hers with remorse and worry.

**"She must have your best interests at heart, then. Sounds like she really loves you." **She answered just as clandestine, her face a smooth mask of indifference.

Pein shook his head slowly, letting his eyes fall to the bundle in her arms. **"She hardly every cries… Just sleeps and looks around. Is that normal?..."** He said, feeling so commonplace among all of the other inexperienced fathers in the world.

**"I wouldn't know."** Konan spoke softly but with sure footing of her point. **"But a family with other children in Grass might." **She let her eyes look up into his, it being her turn to beg.

**"Konan…"** Pein stopped her before she could go on.** "I will not let her go... She's our baby. She's not just some object needing routine care… She needs us."**

Konan let a soft growl of frustration out and looked away, handing Pein the baby. He took her into his arms delicately, her eyes wandering up to his. Rinnegan reflected between the both of them, his heart warming more than he ever thought possible. His Kimiko—their Kimiko.

His eyes drooped with sleep, already low on chakra and even lower on energy from the battle earlier in the day. Konan caught his weary expression and took the child back, taking his hand and pulling him into bed next to her.

**"Sleep… I'll be here when you wake up."** She murmured softly, curling one small tuft of fine blue hair around her finger gently.

**"I love you…"** He murmured, lying at her side with his hand protectively around her waist, feeling the baby rest its hand on his arm lightly for a moment as if it wanted him to know it was trying to protect him too.

**"I love you too, my dear…"** She said softly, letting her eyes drift in and out of reality, daydreaming until he would wake up.

:--:

**AN: So I'm slightly disappointed in myself? Tell me what you guys think. Love all of you fans and your opinions! Tell me if I should continue or if this is a lost cause? Please and thank you. I will consider every review I get.**

**-kira-chan**


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